Vatican City, Nov 7, 2011 / 16:48 pm
Pope Benedict XVI told Germany’s new ambassador to the Holy See on Nov. 7 that the Catholic Church has the duty to defend “truths and values that are under threat,” especially those values basic to human dignity.
At the Monday audience, the new German ambassador Reinhard Scheppe presented his official letters of credence.
Pope Benedict told the ambassador that his September visit to Germany provided him the chance to reflect on how the Catholic Church and the Holy See can be of service in a pluralistic society.
“Many of our contemporaries see the influence of Christianity, and of other religions as a way of imposing a specific culture and lifestyle upon society,” the Pope said. “This view is not incorrect, but it is not a complete understanding of the Catholic Church.”